The Mongolian Death Worm is a creature of intrigue and controversy. The world is filled with legends and myths of strange creatures that walk the land unseen except by a few. Sasquatch, the Yeti, The Loch Ness Monster, Chupcabra are but a few of these. None have been proven to exist, yet they have not been disproven and in many cases, real evidence exists that point to the fact they may be out there, unseen. One such strange creature is the Mongolian Death Worm. Widely believed and widely feared, is it a creature of legend, or of reality? There are tales of some mystery creature on nearly every country on earth. Throughout this guide, you will learn several facts pertaining to this mysterious form of life.
The first mention that we hear of the Mongolian Death worm is lost in antiquity, but the more recent documentations imply that this mysterious creature may be real. The individuals that gave this creature some semblance of legitimacy were a variety of explorers and naturalists of the early portions of the twentieth century. One example of such an individual is a man by the name of Roy Chapman Andrews. This man was a noted naturalist of his time. He alludes to the Mongolian Sandworm in the book "On the Trail of Ancient Man”, written in the latter part of the 1920s. In the book, Andrews, who eventually became the Museum Director for the Museum of Natural History-- wrote about reports of the worm and described it, (as described to him by the Prime Minister Damdinbazar) thusly:
"It is shaped like a sausage about two feet long, has no head nor leg and it is so poisonous that merely to touch it means instant death. It lives in the most desolate parts of the Gobi Desert"
Once more, in the early part of the 1930s, Andrews described the Mongolian Death Worm stating that it was widely believed the worm lived deep in the regions of the west, in hidden portions of the Gobi. Andrews, at this point, states pointedly that he did not believe in the reality of the Mongolian Death Worm or any such mystery creature at that point in time. Many individuals that had become fans of Andrews throughout the years based on his prior beliefs were quite surprised that his opinion could be swayed so rapidly. In fact, several individuals simply could not understand his transition from one opinion to another so quickly. However, his change in beliefs did not alter the opinions of those that felt that the creature truly existed.
The worm is described by those who have purportedly seen it as being more than twenty inches long, as round as a sausage and as thick as the arm of a strong man. It has a tail that looks to have been cut off and has no eyes, no nostrils and no mouth. However, there are accounts in which some of the mystery worms are reported to have mouths. Furthermore, it is stated that these creatures have a deep red blood color that is similar to the color of salami. The individuals that claim to have seen this creature often describe it with precise accuracy and a sparkle of both intrigue and fear in their eyes.
The Mongolian Death Worm is the subject of a great deal of debate. Reportedly remarkably poisonous, it can kill literally anything that it would touch, seeming to have a coating that is reminiscent of sulphuric acid. It is also said to carry some type of nearly lethal electrical charge that renders victims unable to move. Naturally, it is these abilities – coupled with the evil appearance – that results in fear among both humans and other creatures that have or may come in contact with it that make it so frightening.
The natives to the Gobi area have for millennium told tales of the Olgoi Khorkhoi, or the “Death Worm”. These stories brought the creature - whether real or imagined - to the attention of the Western world. It is described as looking very much like the intestines that are present inside of a cow. It has been said that there are spiked projections on either end of the mysterious worm. Everyone with whom the naturalists spoke believed very firmly in the existence of the Mongolian Death Worm. Those who live in the farther regions of the Gobi state that is has been seen and that nothing that touches the animal can survive. In fact, those who were in a position of trust believed so much in the existence of the Mongolian death worm that they convinced many others that this devastating creature did, in fact, exist among the wild.
Expeditions were conducted by many individuals in the years of 2005, 2007, as well as 2009 in order to confirm the existence of the mysterious and ominous worm that so many throughout history had come to fear. Unfortunately, no conclusive evidence was established on the existence of the creature. The individuals that participated in the expeditions spent time interviewing many residents local to the region. While there were some that expressed a disbelief in the creature, many were extremely adamant to the fact that they have witnessed the worm and that the stories surrounding the creature were, in fact, real. The individuals that claim that they have witnessed the supposed “monster” were able to all accurately describe it. In addition to this, all of the descriptions were similar to each other.
Does the Mongolian Death Worm really exist? Is there a snake of some noted poison, that may be mistaken for a worm or is there really a worm that exists in the far reaches of the area that can do the devastating things that have been described? Is this the stuff that nightmares are made of, or worse still, could it be reality? It is not at all uncommon in the wide aspects of the world that some animal long thought extinct, or never seen be discovered. Animals are found every day that have never been seen in the world prior to now. Some examples of these would be the Coelcanth, a fish thought to be dead for millions of years until discovered just a decade or two ago. A type of antelope never before seen was discovered in the middle of 2010. It is not beyond comprehension then, that a creature could exist that had never before been seen by man—the precedent does exist.
Is the Mongolian Death Worm just a myth, a legend spoken about to frighten children, or--is it possible that this chilling and deadly animal really exists in the far regions of the Gobi... waiting? This mysterious creature has captured the imagination of several different people all throughout history. Could it be that people want to believe in its existence? Could it be that people are simply intrigued by such a potentially ominous animal? Is it the human fascination of the things unknown that keep this story alive? It could be all of the above. However, there is one fact that is certain…that the potential existence of the Mongolian Death Worm is one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the world.